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Thread: Rebecca Nalepa found Hanged

  1. #101
    Giada Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    Thanks. I wasn't really into that one. Looks like I should have been!
    Pure entertainment RaRa ...

    (I have a tendency to follow local cases, eg, California, more news local news is available)

  2. #102
    Giada Guest
    Naked Suicide ...

    http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/36/2/240

    Snipped ...


    Conventional wisdom has it that a woman found hanging naked is most likely a homicide or a staged suicide.5 It is thought that "feminine modesty" carries over into a suicidal death. Nonetheless, women do hang themselves or induce asphyxia by other means while naked.

  3. #103
    Giada Guest
    Ruled a suicide ...

    http://www.radaronline.com/exclusive...-ruled-suicide

    Press conference San Diego ME and Coronado PD on Friday.

  4. #104
    Giada Guest
    And this is the reason I prefer following local cases ...

    Non-stop press conference this morning from local 10 news San Diego, no commercial interruption and no frigging talking heads.

    Rebecca received a phone call at 12:50 in the morning telling her Max would not live, at that point she made a decision to commit suicide.

    Forensic, behavioral evidence presented including mention of her journals, which corroborated weight loss, stress, not sleeping well.

    Max, was on the second floor, appeared to have tripped, went over the railing, may have grabbed for the chandelier and fell to the floor below.

  5. #105
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    Wow so it wasn't like he fell down the stairs. He fell over a balcony.

    Ok how did she tie her hands behind her back and then hang herself?
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    "I will be buried in a spring loaded casket filled with confetti, and a future archaeologist will have one awesome day at work."

  6. #106
    Giada Guest
    Video presentation recreated from the photos taken at autopsy. Rebecca bound her hands in front with one hand easily slipping out, she moved her arms to the back slipping her hand back in tightening the rope.

    She used a tow rope from the garage, apparently having some boating and or sailing experience, because she knew how to tie slip knots.

    One of our death hags is bound, (excuse the pun) to find a video of this eventually on y/t ... and post it.

    (I was impressed by the thoroughness of the presentation and also the respect for both families in not revealing personal information)

    This came up fast ... from Signon San Diego

    http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...ruled-suicide/

    Another link with video ...

    http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/index.html
    Last edited by Giada; 09-02-2011 at 01:15 PM.

  7. #107
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    I'm not buying all of it. This is a case involving a very rich and powerful family in a very expensive house in a very wealthy community. The urge for law enforcement to take the path of least resistance was likely very strong. Just my cynical opinion.

  8. #108
    Giada Guest
    LA Times ...

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...ities-say.html

    Snipped ...

    Although how she killed herself may seem unusual, it is not unprecedented and there is no evidence that there was foul play, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said at a Friday morning news conference.
    Her fingerprints and DNA were the only ones found on the rope as well as the knife she used to cut it into pieces and place sections around her feet, hands and around her neck, Gore and other authorities said. Investigators also conducted an experiment with a woman of similar size to see if she could tie herself up in the same way with the same knots, and they concluded that she could, authorities said.

    "Science does not lie," Gore said.

  9. #109
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Giada View Post

    This came up fast ... from Signon San Diego

    http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...ruled-suicide/

    Another link with video ...

    http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/index.html

    Another link with video?? That one has CRIME scene pics! Nice!!


    From the first link:

    A message written in black paint on the door to the guest room with the balcony was also discovered. Officials would not disclose the contents of the message, but Zahau's ex-husband, Neil Nalepa, told The San Diego Union-Tribune it read: "She saved him, can he save her."

    What does that even mean?

    For the record, I would never in a million years have known how to tie my hands like that.

  10. #110
    RaRaRamona Guest
    The photos of Max's death scene are heartbreaking. I am really hurting for them all. Such a simple, simple mistake.

  11. #111
    RaRaRamona Guest
    But going back to her crime scene...in the photos, there is a list of items found in the room, including a towel. A towel? But no clothes. Did she shower first?

    The message is blanked out on the door. It's smaller than I imagined.

    The red rope seems to trail from the bed to the door to the patio. Why so long? Why not tie it to the railing? And the spot where she was hanging is hidden by the tree. Seems to be in a shaded corner of the house? Why the spare room?

  12. #112
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    Another link with video?? That one has CRIME scene pics! Nice!!
    I agree. Cool!

  13. 09-02-2011, 05:20 PM


  14. #113
    Giada Guest
    Unsuffer Me ... you need to check to see if there is a thread on this person or create one ...

  15. #114
    Giada Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    The photos of Max's death scene are heartbreaking. I am really hurting for them all. Such a simple, simple mistake.
    As to your previous post, I would not have known how this was accomplished either. Recall, Rebecca used a slip knot, and the rope she used was a tow line.

    And I agree, Max was doing what all kids do, being his vibrant energetic self, and a then a simple tumble and he was gone.

    Rebecca is then left to feel alone and responsible while her boyfriend and his mother are at the hospital.

    We have no idea ... if anyone supported her through the pain she must have felt.

    Rebecca did sleep in the nude. It's possible she showered prior to committing suicide, therefore the towel. It's also possible, she simply wanted to end her life as quickly as possible and took whatever action she could ... desperate to end the pain she simply did what she needed to do in her emotional state.

    Why the choice of bed as opposed to using the balcony railing, I see this simply as a woman so tormented she did what she felt she needed to do to end her life ...
    Last edited by Giada; 09-02-2011 at 06:15 PM.

  16. #115
    UnSuffer Me Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Giada View Post
    Unsuffer Me ... you need to check to see if there is a thread on this person or create one ...
    Ok, Uhmmm, I'm new how do I create a thread?

  17. #116
    UnSuffer Me Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Giada View Post
    Unsuffer Me ... you need to check to see if there is a thread on this person or create one ...
    Giada a thread exist already. It was done by Havoc sometime ago. Thanks.

  18. #117
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Giada View Post



    Why the choice of bed as opposed to using the balcony railing, I see this simply as a woman so tormented she did what she felt she needed to do to end her life ...
    What about the paint? And brush?

    Quote Originally Posted by UnSuffer Me View Post
    Giada a thread exist already. It was done by Havoc sometime ago. Thanks.
    Do you mind deleting your post so it won't confuse the thread? Thank you.

  19. #118
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    Now I'm not buying how the son was hurt. First it was reported that he was sliding down the banister and fell, then it was he was sliding down headfirst and fell. Now after we see what the banister looks like, we get a story that a six year old kid was running and fell down the stairs about four to five feet at a 45 degree angle and fell over the banister (which was the same height, or just about, that he was tall) and when he fell and went over the banister his body went from a 45 degree angle to a 90 degree angle and he shot out about four feet to grab the chandelier and then fell straight down to land on his face.

    Also, the brother of her boyfriend said he cut the rope to get her down but his DNA wasn't on the rope.

    Did anyone notice something that was in one location in the Outside Scene Diagram but in a different location in the top right crime scene photo next to the diagram? There is also another error but this is with the info in the lower right corner of the diagram.

    Nope, not buying it.

    As for the mistakes, the candle is in one place in the diagram but in another in the crime scene photo. The candle is on the top of the table but on the edge near the wall in the photo but the drawing shows the candle near the edge of the table on the side nearest the body. The city in the address of the diagram is "Coranado". When I was getting my Justice degree, one of my classes included drawing crime scene diagrams. We were told that a spelling error would get you in trouble but drawing something in the wrong location would get you fired. The same person did the Admin. and Tech. Reviews of the drawing and photo and should be in as much trouble as the person who did the drawing.
    Last edited by Desert Ghost; 09-02-2011 at 09:58 PM.

  20. #119
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    And it doesn't seem like that bed would stay put if a 100 pound person was hanging from that rope.

  21. #120
    Evil Sushi Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Barbossa View Post
    And it doesn't seem like that bed would stay put if a 100 pound person was hanging from that rope.
    It said the bed had been pulled away from the wall. She may not have tied the rope to the balcony as it was kind of old and may have broken easily.

    Also the balcony was at an angle where Max fell and only reached up to his hips from the photo they posted.

    To be honest, I found the presentations all very plausible. Great link with the crime scene pics and explanations.

    Horrible tragedy though.

  22. #121
    RaRaRamona Guest
    I wondered about the bed too, but she seemed very petite. It does look like a small, lightweight bedframe though. As taking into account how long she might have dangled...

  23. #122
    Giada Guest
    What about the paint and the brush?

    Black paint tube, black paint brush found, these were used to leave the message on the door.

    As to the, rumors in the news on how Max was injured they were just that. I posted various links, national and local, but did say the police department wasn't commenting, and would not do so until they had enough evidence to evaluate and reach a conclusion.

    Between the ME, investigator's and a bio-mechanical engineer they were able to draw the most probable scenario.

    Rebecca was 5'3'' and weighed 100 lbs ... petite.

  24. #123
    Giada Guest
    Press conference on Rebecca and Max's deaths, 1:30.

    http://www.10news.com/video/29065367/index.html

  25. #124
    UnSuffer Me Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    What about the paint? And brush?



    Do you mind deleting your post so it won't confuse the thread? Thank you.
    Done.

  26. #125
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by UnSuffer Me View Post
    Done.
    Thanks dude

  27. #126
    RaRaRamona Guest
    I have been wondering why max didn't shield his face. that's the natural thing to do. it looks like he just face planted. Could he have been knocked out on the way down? The diagram doesn't show his hitting his head on the bannister.

  28. #127
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    I have been wondering why max didn't shield his face. that's the natural thing to do. it looks like he just face planted. Could he have been knocked out on the way down? The diagram doesn't show his hitting his head on the bannister.
    He was SOOOOO cute. Just adorable.
    To understand the living, you got to commune with the dead.
    Minerva

  29. #128
    RaRaRamona Guest
    I'm watching the investigation briefing. They mentioned that he did land on the banister, on his back, before hitting the ground. So that explains why he hit face first. They did not specify, but I assume he had detached his spinal cord & was not breathing & had no heart beat at that time. Devastating


    BUT why did Rebecca go to the guest house to kill herself? Her boyfriend's brother lived there. I presume she lived in the main house with her bf & his kids.

    The plastic bag...had she gone out & bought the paint & brushes? Why two brushes?

    Why was there a boot impression beside her toe prints out on the balcony?

  30. #129
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Sorry, another thought.

    I wonder how she never considered how her bf would feel. As bad as she felt, he's now lost two people from his life.

    I wonder if she was not only depressed bc of Max, but if his injuries brought the parents together in their grief, if she was making more of that situation.

    And why won't they let anyone know what the message on the door said??

  31. #130
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    I'm watching the investigation briefing. They mentioned that he did land on the banister, on his back, before hitting the ground. So that explains why he hit face first. They did not specify, but I assume he had detached his spinal cord & was not breathing & had no heart beat at that time. Devastating
    I need to figure out how to put a crying emoticon in here.
    "We've had threads about guys fucking picnic tables, animals and dead bodies. Third boob ain't going to stop a damn thing." - cleanskull

  32. #131
    RaRaRamona Guest
    One of the reporters said they'd "heard" he'd been planking. Perhaps...but there's no way he could have gotten those injuries. If he'd fallen straight down, he could have lived.

  33. #132
    Flowergrrl Guest
    I'm not sure why the knife and no one else's fingerprints being found is of any significance... She lived there, a knife with her fingerprints should be an easy find. And no other prints? People who murder where gloves, why wouldn't someone who's trying to make it look like a suicide not use gloves?

    I don't know really about her feeling any guilt, but more a "I'm not going to be living this extravagant lifestyle anymore" type of mentality. Or maybe she pushed the kid and he fell. Dad's girlfriend taking care of the kids isn't necessarily a perfect situation.

    Also, so women do commit suicide while nude (it's still rare)... That doesn't mean she tied her hands and feet. It doesn't add up why someone would tie their hands and feet, it would be extremely difficult and pointless to do if you're going to kill yourself. It would make much more sense if this was a sexual act gone wrong... That still doesn't equate to suicide though.

  34. #133
    RaRaRamona Guest
    But the note? Who did she save? Who did she want to save her?

    Could she have been having an affair w/ the brother? Is that what she meant? Could he save her in time he did find her. She did do this at his house.

  35. #134
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    Hanged millionaire's lover 'had tape residue on legs and t-shirt stuffed in mouth' reveals autopsy as expert questions suicide verdict

    Intriguing new details have emerged from the autopsy report on Rebecca Zahau, the woman found hanging at billionaire Jonah Shacknaiâ??s mansion, which appear to add strength to claims by the woman's family that her bizarre death was not a suicide.
    A copy of the autopsy shows that tape residue was found on the 32-year-old's legs and a t-shirt was discovered stuffed in her mouth - facts which were not disclosed when authorities gave a press conference on Friday to announce their findings.
    The news comes as a respected forensic pathologist spoke out to question the corner's decision to rule the death a suicide.
    Ms Zahau was found dead on July 13, hanging from a second-floor balcony at a historic mansion in suburban Coronado, California belonging to Mr Shacknai, whose son had a tragic fall two days earlier.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1X0yq1F7B
    To understand the living, you got to commune with the dead.
    Minerva

  36. #135
    Flowergrrl Guest
    The note doesn't make much sense. Why if she were referring to herself would she have used that wording, wouldn't she have spoken of herself in first person? After looking through the photos it appears easier to tie yourself up and jump than what I had envisioned. It still makes no sense why she would tie herself up though.

    Thanks for the update McCourt!

  37. #136
    RaRaRamona Guest
    maybe she tried tape first? tape wasn't listed as being found in the room though.

  38. #137
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    More from SignOnSanDiego (our local rag):

    http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...amily-unconvi/

    I'm still not convinced, especially with the naked thing. This is the type of case that can ruin law careers, I think authorities chickened out.

  39. #138
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Barbossa View Post
    More from SignOnSanDiego (our local rag):

    http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...amily-unconvi/

    I'm still not convinced, especially with the naked thing. This is the type of case that can ruin law careers, I think authorities chickened out.

    At 12:50 a.m. on July 13, she checked a message on her cellphone: Max was not expected to survive. Lucas estimated that Zahau died little more than two hours later.

    Part of the claim by her family is that she made plans all day to see them in the next few days, made plans to visit Max, ect. They claim a suicidal person would not be making plans. BUT if she got the news AFTER all the planning, that theory doesn't hold. Bc she would not care about the plans. She didn't make any plans after the bad news. It seems she made the decision, found the rope in the garage, perhaps found or bought the paint & brushes & executed her last plan of the day.

  40. #139
    RaRaRamona Guest
    And really? A three page memo on her phone? Who does that?? Wow


    the following quotes are from the same article (Barbossa's link):

    While Zahau was an artist who worked with acrylics, Bremner insists she did not paint these words: “The writing on the door was not in her handwriting.” Investigators “never compared that to her handwriting.”


    Who decided that? How do they know how she would write with a paint brush?

    Handwriting? The message was in block letters. “We had nothing to compare it to,” Nesbit said.


    Aaah that explains it.


    Gore cited a Georgetown University study showing that, while rare, people have committed suicide while naked. Psychiatrists interpret some of these deaths as desperate, self-abasing apologies.

  41. #140
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    And why won't they let anyone know what the message on the door said??

    A message written in black paint on the door to the guest room with the balcony was also discovered. Officials would not disclose the contents of the message, but Zahau's ex-husband, Neil Nalepa, told The San Diego Union-Tribune it read: "She saved him, can he save her."

  42. #141
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Cynful View Post
    A message written in black paint on the door to the guest room with the balcony was also discovered. Officials would not disclose the contents of the message, but Zahau's ex-husband, Neil Nalepa, told The San Diego Union-Tribune it read: "She saved him, can he save her."
    yes, but that is from a family member. they will not officially release it.

  43. #142
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote from the comments of that same article



    JedediahSmith Today 06:19 PM
    Most of us on this site have never been closer to a crime scene than our television sets, let alone actually investigate a death. Yet, with no education, no training, and zero experience investigating crime, some here feel qualified to second-guess the detectives in the Zahau case. These cops have years of daily experience doing what they do. To criticize their abilities and, worse, to question their intelligence and their integrity is foolhardy. I suggest we all withhold judgement until Dateline NBC or 20-20 broadcasts their 45 minutes of "in-depth reporting" about this case. It is obvious that television is the only place some here have gained their expertise. Sadly, it seems possible that only the opinion of some television reporter - also with zero crime scene experience, will quiet the skeptics.

  44. #143
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    yes, but that is from a family member. they will not officially release it.

    I wonder why.

  45. #144
    RaRaRamona Guest
    In the video, they said they would not comment on the family's reaction to the message. I'm sure that's standard but it makes me more curious!

  46. #145
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    In the video, they said they would not comment on the family's reaction to the message. I'm sure that's standard but it makes me more curious!

    Me too! We wanna know, we wanna know!!!

  47. #146
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaRaRamona View Post
    In the video, they said they would not comment on the family's reaction to the message. I'm sure that's standard but it makes me more curious!

    Medical Examiner Reveals Mansion Suicide Message...

    http://www.people.com/people/article...525863,00.html


  48. #147
    Giada Guest
    I don't know how many who post on this thread listened to the 90 minute interview with the SD Sheriff's department, the ME and detectives, but it was thorough.

    Five homicide detectives investigated this case, as well as, the Coronado PD and the SD Sheriff's department.

    Judge Alex Ferrer said he could understand questioning the investigation if this was some podunk city in the US, but this investigation involved hundreds of qualified professionals.

    As to the question of Rebecca's message this is simple to explain. Rebecca not only experienced grief over the loss of Max but somehow felt she was being, "blamed for the accident."

    Her suicide more than likely was driven by both guilt and retribution.

    I believe I've posted this article which was written by a professional, Robert l Simon, MD

    http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/36/2/240

    The only questions I have left are of both Dina and Jonah Schacknai. What did they say to Rebecca? Did they blame her or attempt to comfort her?
    Last edited by Giada; 09-05-2011 at 12:30 PM.

  49. #148
    RaRaRamona Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Cynful View Post
    Medical Examiner Reveals Mansion Suicide Message...

    http://www.people.com/people/article...525863,00.html
    The tape residue could be from her trying a different bondage, then she decided on rope. Did they find the discarded tape?

    Quote Originally Posted by Giada View Post
    I don't know how many who post on this thread listened to the 90 minute interview with the SD Sheriff's department, the ME and detectives, but it was thorough.


    I believe I've posted this article which was written by a professional, Robert l Simon, MD

    http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/36/2/240

    The only questions I have left are of both Dina and Jonah Schacknai. What did they say to Rebecca? Did they blame her or attempt to comfort her?
    Yes it was very, very thorough. I thought it was sad that the ME had both cases.

    And I also wonder how Max's family treated her.

  50. #149
    RaRaRamona Guest
    P.S. At first, this was just a quirky case & I was interested bc I thought it was going to be a big mystery. But instead, it's just an unbelievably sad story of a messed up family that had too much tragedy.

  51. #150
    Lisamarie Guest
    what dose the message painted on the door mean tho?? I dont get it..

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